Corona virus

We are locked down here in Spain until 10th May. If this lockdown is not extended will we be able to leave Spain after that date ?

Surely that will depend? Will flights start after that date? I note EasyJet is planning to restart them from the first week in June. Will ferries start running again? Brittany Ferries are  all cancelled until 15th May so  may be a start.

If driving back, will France ease their lockdown and allow traffic to cross the border and, if so, will the normal passenger and car ferries resume from France to UK? 

Plus remember that, under the Spanish rules, this state of alarm can only be extended for a maximum of 2 weeks at a time. This is the third state of alarm but there is no saying there won't be a fourth although some opposition parties are against that if no easing of the lockdown happens.

If you are a EU resident outside Spain (including UK at the moment) then you can leave Spain now. Car journeys are allowed through Spain and France if  you are returning to your main residence although there are no hotels and limited rescue ferries. Plus there are flights 3 or  4 times a week to London from Madrid so, if you are returning to your main home, you could get a train to Madrid  (or Barcelona where flights are also going from) and then a plane from there. If you are a Spanish resident then you can't as your main home is here.

I think we won't know until the easing of restrictions actually happen. Even next week's planned walks outside are only if the number of cases and deaths continue to fall. Let's all hope they do.

It will also heavily depend on whether the  country you are going to will let you in not just if Spain will let you out.

** EDITED - Against forum rules **

Keep your eye on https://www.alicante-airport.net/departures.php

HI

You have 3 options.

1) I believe Brittany Ferries are starting to Operate from Santander to Plymouth & Portsmouth from 15th May 2020

2) There are only flights rom Barcelona to London at the moment 3 or 4 times a week.There are flights from Malaga to Barelona a few times a week.

3) You could drive through France and use the Channel Tunnel Crossing. Forms to complete are on CItizdns Advice Bureau Spain on link below.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.es/faq/coronavirus-travelling-to-uk-by-road/

Good Luck

Perhaps worth bearing in mind that the scientific fraternity have now identified that anyone can be a carrier without demonstrating symptoms so all those intending to travel will need to be extremely mindful of protective measures essential to prevent contagion.
How the airlines or ferries or trains can adequately address this ( given air conditioning) begs many questions. There appear many ongoing risks and ability to spread contagion ....hence the message to curtail  and only travel when strictly necessary during this interim period to limit the opportunities for contagion. 
 

Some good points there ads. I do believe  the OPs are allowed to escape from Spain at anytime if they are non Spanish residents and there is a legal route to their place of residence irrespective of how much contagion they spread. 

Yes Kavanagh. 

So this is where test track and trace app becomes an essential part of the whole scenario, but that depends upon all countries adopting this methodology and as we all know each country are understandably at different stages in preparation for this.
But also alongside that it requires everyone ( including those wishing to return home) to be sufficiently socially responsible and if anyone is not well with a temperature for example, the indications are that they should not go out or travel and place others at risk.

Likewise with respecting lockdowns and social distancing once returning to their home destination. I think the UK government are currently reviewing with the scientific advisers if at this current stage there is need to isolate those returning but again it depends upon many factors and is not so black and white as some would suggest.

Thankfuly there was a good factual assessment done on the BBC Andrew Marr show this morning in the UK which discussed many of these outstanding questions. Perhaps worth reviewing on BBC iPlayer for those wishing to better comprehend the many outstanding questions. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000hyq2/the-andrew-marr-show-03052020
 

Hello ads, all very true.

BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.

Social responsibility soon evaporates with selfish people, and selfish people have never been a rare commodity.

Not sure what screening is being done by border control if any. I suppose if you arrive by air ambulance they might do a COVID-19 test if they have a test kit and have time.

I have two friends that both work for UK border force (Or what ever you call it) One at an Airport, no checks on incoming people concerning the covid 19 virus just passport or visa problems,   the other at a main entry port, the other day she was told to wear a mask, then a few hours later told not to wear a mask, same no checks on or for covid 19 virus.

Way to much conflicting information, right or wrong.

Yes a variety of advice is confusing but it is by no means restricted to the UK, Baz...

This might help a little to explain.

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On UK govt website it states

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus#when-you-return-to-the-uk-protect-yourself-and-others

When you return to the UK: protect yourself and others

The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) provides advice on how to stay safe as you travel by air.

When you return to the UK on a flight from another country, you should follow the government advice that applies to everyone:

• go straight home from the airport, avoiding public transport where possible. Only people living in your household, for example a family member, should collect you from the airport. If you need to travel on to Scotland, see the Traveline Scotland guidance
• stay at home and only go outside for food, health reasons, daily exercise or work if you absolutely cannot work from home
• if you go out: always stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people, do not touch your face, and wash your hands frequently, including as soon as you get home

If you start to have symptoms like a high temperature or frequent cough, go straight home and self-isolate for 7 days. See the guidance for households with a possible infection and call NHS 111 if your symptoms worsen.

For further guidance, visit gov.uk/coronavirus or visit nhs.uk for specialist medical advice.

-----------------

As for face masks 

https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-face-mask-advice-coronavirus-government-public-covid-19-recommendation-explained-2546640

“What do health officials say?

Public Health England currently says face masks "play a very important role" in hospitals "but there's very little evidence of widespread benefit from their use outside of these clinical settings".

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), masks only need to be worn by the general public if an individual is sick, or if a person is caring for someone suspected to have the virus.”

......”There is currently no evidence that wearing a mask (whether medical or other types) by healthy persons in the wider community setting, including universal community masking, can prevent them from infection with respiratory viruses."

It warned that they could create a "false sense of security" and lead to people ignoring other protective measures, such as hand washing and distancing. The WHO added that medical masks needed to be reserved for health workers.”

......”The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control acknowledges that face masks in the public could help "reduce the spread of the infection in the community by minimising the excretion of respiratory droplets from infected individuals who have not yet developed symptoms or who remain asymptomatic" and could be considered in busy, closed spaces.

It adds: "It is not known how much the use of masks in the community can contribute to a decrease in transmission in addition to the other countermeasures."

Again, the centre says medical masks should be prioritised for health workers and that non-medical versions (such as those made of textiles) could be considered for the public.”

---------------

......”However, a researchers has said that homemade masks for the public could "wipe out" the virus.

"If 80 to 90 per cent of us do it, and if the masks were say 80-90 per cent effective, that would probably - the modellers say - be enough to reduce the effective R0 [the average number of people who will catch Covid-19 from an infected person] down to wipe out this disease and we can all get on with our lives," said Trish Greenhalgh, professor of primary health care at the University of Oxford, in a web briefing for the Royal Society of Medicine on Tuesday.

And more than 100 UK medics have backed the international Masks4All campaign.

Its website says: "The WHO only recommends masks for those infected with Covid-19 or those taking care of people infected with Covid-19. But ~50% of people who have Covid-19 are asymptomatic. So it follows basic logic that if we don't know who has it and anyone who has it needs to wear a mask, then we should all wear masks."

But others suggest more information about Covid-19 is needed before we know how effective masks are in tackling the virus.

"One justification for wearing any kind of mask is that they must inevitably reduce viral load and that being exposed to lower levels of virus must reduce serious clinical symptoms," says William Keevil, professor of environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton. "But Covid-19 appears easily transmissible and we know little about the virus infectious dose and how it is administered."

If the Government changes its policy on masks, there needs to be an "immediate education programme" so the public knows how to wear them properly, he adds.”

So as you can see this debate and ongoing medical advice is still being analysed and goes far wider than just the UK.

At the end of the day and in the interim we have to make our own judgements based on all the above.

Seems anyone can come and go to the UK, that shocks me, is it can’t be bothered or no staff? I can’t even visit my mother.

I think all the guidance on travel insurance only relates to current stranded travellers who have a policy and all other possible avenues of claims have been exhausted, perhaps not the policy travels thought they had purchased. It is now becoming clear that you need a solicitor to advise you on most insurance terms and conditions written in the unreadable print.

No new travel insurance policies are currently being sold at any price while there are any risks of a claim.

At the moment your EHIC may be valid, but that could end at the end of the year. Maybe it could be back to Butlins or a caravan in Grimsby.

My daughter and her fiance want to visit us here in Spain in the altter part of June. We note that Britanny Ferriers start again in mid June, but will they be allowed to enter Spain and then tavel by car to us ?

You will need to ask Pedro Sánchez. 

Who is pedro sanche ?. I dont't know him.

Kavanagh was referring to the Spanish PM.

However, it is reported that travel between regions in Spain will not be permitted until the end of June at the earliest. And that is if regions move up a stage at the forecast times which is looking extremely unlikely. For example, Malaga and Granada could move to the next phase next Monday but have restrictions on meeting others and travel being imposed while the rest of Andalusia goes up a phase. Catalonia could move up a phase except for Barcelona which may probably stay at phase 0.

There have been no announcements on when the borders will reopen or if internationa travel will be permitted before the end of June at the very earliest. And, of course, it will depend on the lockdown and travel restrictions imposed by UK as well. The plans for ferries and aircraft to start operating are pure speculation at the moment.

Oscar...just my personal opinion, but I doubt ferries will be operating in June. In fact I really can't see travel to Spain happening before Christmas. I have no inside knowledge but I think that's the way things 're going.

John, this subject is just too complicated for some. They want to escape from Spain and now want to return with visitors. Perhaps they should have their passports suspended until it’s all over for their and everyone else safety.

So long as so many questions remain, especially with some people not showing symptoms who have the virus, then it seems as though test track and trace is essential to minimise contagion going forward. Plus it's very risky to travel between countries without full protection and testing and tracking thereafter.

No matter how much we wish it were different, there are still many outstanding questions to comprehend the nature of the virus and pattern of contagion I'm afraid. Everyone should be erring on the side of caution and sticking to guidelines as identified by the scientists, but you have to bear in mind that each country have their own circumstances to take account of and respond to.

Stay safe and be respectful of the guidelines for all our sakes.
 

Most questions have been answered, some people not showing symptoms who have the virus just swagger about as if no virus exists, and not sure what test track and trace will achieve until there is a vaccine. If governments allow travel between countries without full protection and testing and tracking thereafter we assume it must be safe.

Guidelines should always be respected and anyone who does not should be placed under house arrest and on a second offence prison, also have their passport confiscated.

I'm sure most people understand the frustration with those who refuse to follow guidelines ( who are thankfully in the minority as we speak...the majority are being socially responsible, hence the downward trends), but you can't lock down everyone until a vaccine is produced, so in reality you HAVE to have a practical and workable method to contain contagion in the interim.

This is the purpose of test track and trace. Early days on that score.

But also the educational process continues to explain how contagion happens and how best to minimise it until such time as a vaccine is produced.

But most importantly to comprehend the premise that no one can consider themselves immune from passing on the virus, hence the need for all governments to make sufficient preparation to protect their citizens and seek out the best methods possible to realistically minimise contagion. We are all on a steep learning curve in this regard.

Civilised Society plays its part here where those who act irresponsibly are encouraged to recognise such by the majority in all manner of ways ( hopefully civilised!)  but those that continue to disobey can be disincentivised by several options open to the authorities. This is no different from normal containment of non responsible behaviour within a society, except that in this case we are all in this together across nation states.

In the interim it's best to focus on the positive benefits of continuing to educate and keep a close eye and remain supportive of proven workable and effective measures to contain the contagion ( still in progress as we speak) and provide sufficient resources to enable the scientific fraternity to create a safe vaccine as soon as is possible.

But we all have our own part to play in this....we're in this together and need to be supportive of one another and supportive of productive ways forward.

International agreements and cooperation are no doubt key to this, so let's see what transpires in terms of how supply chains can strengthen this process, how travel can best be accommodated in the most responsible way forward, but never at the expense of undoing all the sacrifices made to date.

One step at a time.